REFRAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does refrain mean? 

• REFRAIN (noun)
  The noun REFRAIN has 1 sense:

1. the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers

  Familiarity information: REFRAIN used as a noun is very rare.

• REFRAIN (verb)
  The verb REFRAIN has 2 senses:

1. resist doing something

2. choose not to consume

  Familiarity information: REFRAIN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REFRAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

chorus; refrain

Hypernyms ("refrain" is a kind of...):

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "refrain"):

tra-la; tra-la-la (a set of nonsensical syllables used while humming a refrain)

Holonyms ("refrain" is a part of...):

song; vocal (a short musical composition with words)

• REFRAIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they refrain    ... he / she / it refrains   
Past simple: refrained   
Past participle: refrained   
-ing form: refraining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Resist doing something

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

forbear; refrain

Context example:

she could not forbear weeping

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refrain"):

leave; leave alone; leave behind; let alone (leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking)

let it go (not act)

abstain (refrain from voting)

save; spare (refrain from harming)

forbear; hold back (refrain from doing)

help; help oneself (abstain from doing; always used with a negative)

stand by (not act or do anything)

sit out (not participate in (an activity, such as a dance or a sports event))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Antonym:

act (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Choose not to consume

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

abstain; desist; refrain

Context example:

I abstain from alcohol

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refrain"):

fast (abstain from eating)

fast (abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons)

avoid; keep off (refrain from certain foods or beverages)

teetotal (practice teetotalism and abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

 Context examples 

But if my days are taken up with work and my nights with school, when am I going to see you? —was Martin's first thought, though he refrained from uttering it.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Fanny, not able to refrain entirely from observing them, had seen enough to be tolerably satisfied.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I must beg, however, that you will kindly refrain from thinking for yourself, and that you will do exactly what you are told.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

During her illness many arguments had been urged to persuade my mother to refrain from attending upon her.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

“What think you now?” shouted all the neighbours of the west-countryman, repeating his own refrain.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He sat down at the table and scribbled a check, which he tore from the book, but he refrained from handing it to his companion.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station, or refrain from declaring my amazement at hearing that you received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The latter were afraid of him, while he merely refrained from attacking them.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Only Louis refrained, no more than cautiously wetting his lips with the liquor, though he joined in the revels with an abandon equal to that of most of them.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Ned, getting sentimental, warbled a serenade with the pensive refrain...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)